The Hindu 05.11.2009
Work on Rs.17.80-crore water project begins
Staff Reporter
| It is expected to cater to the needs of wards 19, 26 and 27 |
— Photo: A. Shaikmohideen 
Grand start: Mayor A.L. Subramanian, left, and Deputy Mayor K. Muthuramalingam attending the bhoomi puja for the construction of an overhead tank in Tirunelveli on Wednesday.
TIRUNELVELI: The construction of overhead tanks for the new drinking water scheme for wards 19, 26 and 27, to be executed at the cost of Rs.17.80 crore before the next Assembly election, commenced on Wednesday with Mayor A.L. Subramanian performing the formal ‘bhumi puja’.
Following repeated representations from the Corporation to the Ministry of Local Administration on the need for having a separate drinking water scheme for wards 19, 26 and 27, green signal was given in 2005 itself to prepare a project report for ward 27 at a cost of Rs. 4.50 crore. However, the scheme was later expanded to benefit wards 19 and 26 also and consequently the project cost escalated to Rs.17.80 crore.
After Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin laid the foundation stone for this project during his recent visit to the district, a team of officials and councillors, led by the Mayor, laid the stone for the new drinking water project in the ‘bhumi puja’ held at Perumalpuram amidst mild drizzle on Wednesday morning.
The Corporation has planned to construct seven overhead tanks at Ezhil Nagar (3 lakh litre), Thamizh Nagar (2 lakh litre), Teachers’ Colony (2 lakh litre), Thirumal Nagar (3 lakh litre), Perumalpuram (4 lakh litre), Canara Bank Colony (2 lakh litre) and Kumaresan Nagar (3 lakh litre) and a ground-level sump with a capacity of 2 lakh will be constructed at Tuckerammalpuram.
“Since water from the 9 infiltration wells to be sunk in Tamirabharani at Suththamalli will be collected in this ground-level reservoir and then pumped to the overhead tanks, the distribution of water will be smooth and effective,” said Executive Engineer Narayanan Nair.
Deputy Mayor K. Muthuramalingam, Commissioner K. Baskaran, councillor of ward 27 R. Rajakumari and corporation officials participated in the ‘bhumi puja’.
